Chapter 7: The Imams
The Imams as God’s Intermediaries
251. Is there any Qur’anic evidence supporting the argument that the imams are intermediaries of divine emanations and effusions?
Answer: It may be inferred from the verses about wilāyah (divine guardianship, spiritual authority), assuming that they convey cosmological authority and creational guardianship (al-wilāyat al-takwīniyyah). However, this is primarily deduced from the numerous narrations which prove al-wilāyat al-takwīniyyah.
252. What does al-wilāyat al-takwīniyyah (creational guardianship) mean?
Answer: Wilāyah means “guardianship.” It means God’s guardianship of His servant, where the affairs of the servant are directed by God. This is a station where the servant’s will is annihilated in the divine will, where the servant no longer has any will or preference of his own, but he only wills and desires what God wills.
253. Can we infer from the Tradition of the Mantle (Ḥadīth al-Kisāʾ) that the imams are the intermediaries of divine blessings?
Answer: Even though this tradition is famous, it has an incomplete chain of transmission (mursal). Nevertheless, its content is in line with numerous reliable traditions that describe the imams as the intermediaries of divine blessings. One of these traditions is the one narrated by Sunni and Shia transmitters on the authority of Jābir, where the Noble Prophet addresses Jābir b. ʿAbd-Allāh al-Anṣārī, “O Jābir! The first creation of God was the light of your Prophet.”
This can also be proven rationally, on the basis that the world of creation is governed by a hierarchy of causes and effects, with God being at the top of the pyramid, as the Qur’an says: And that the terminus is towards your Lord ().
254. In a supplication that is recited in the month of Rajab, the imams are described as: “There is no difference between Thee and them, except that they are Thy servants and creatures.” What is intended by “difference” here?
Answer: It is meant in its literal sense. The phrase means that “they are your creatures in their essence, but their acts are Your acts [because they are under Your command and completely annihilated in You].”
255. [In the same supplication,] what is intended by “so it is through them that Thou hast filled the heavens and the earth”?
Answer: That is, “You have granted them such guardianship wherewith the heavens and the earth are illuminated. Meanwhile, they are, in their essence, created by You.”
256. It is narrated from the imams that “whenever a plural verb is used in the Qur’an to describe God’s action, we are the ones who have done that act.” What is intended by these traditions?
Answer: They mean that the Pure Imams are the intermediaries and channels of divine effusions upon the creatures. Whatever comes to the creatures is through them.
257. Is this also applicable to the verse: Indeed We sent it [the Qur’an] down ()?
Answer: Yes, it is. This verse refers to their creational guardianship over all beings, meaning that their acts are the acts of God.
258. What is intended by the traditions where the imams say, “Gabriel is from us and [proceeds] towards us”?
Answer: It refers to the transcendent station of the imams, as it is narrated: “There is a specific station for each of us.” Gabriel is also part of their spectrum that extends over all levels of existence. Thus Gabriel descends from one level to another level of their existence: he descends from their station of transcendence to their station of worldly presence.
259. What is intended by these words in Ziyārat al-Jāmiʿah al-Kabīrah [where we address the imams as follows]: “He who proceeds towards God commences his proceeding with you; and he who believes in divine unity takes it from you”?
Answer: The first part implies that you are the guides and the path of one who seeks God; one may proceed towards God only through you. It means that “you are the greatest path.” The second part implies that one who is a monotheist has come from your side.
260. It is narrated from one of the Infallibles: “We are the divine decree (mashiyyah).” What does this mean?
Answer: I’m wondering where this tradition is reported. What we have in the narrations is: “Our hearts are the nests of divine decree.”
261. So, the above statement is not reliable?
Answer: I haven’t come across it. Even if it is found in some source, it cannot be accepted because it will lead to an infinite regress.
Being Born of Slaves
262. Is it a blemish on some of the imams whose mothers were slaves?
Answer: What matters is if God considers something to be a blemish, not the people. Slavery is confirmed by God, so we must view it in this light. God Almighty says: All rule belongs only to God (, , ).
263. Is it not sufficient that it is considered a blemish by reason and social conventions?
Answer: The reason and social conventions which stand against divine judgment are not credible.
The Particular Quality of each Imam
264. It is narrated that Imam al-Ḥusayn said to Lady Zaynab in Karbala, “My mother was better than me and she passed away. My father and my brother were better than me and they passed away.” Does this imply that any preceding imam excels the succeeding imam in terms of rank?
Answer: Yes, it implies that any preceding imam excels the succeeding imam in terms of rank in general. Nonetheless, the succeeding imam may be endowed with certain qualities not enjoyed by the preceding imam. For instance, Imam al-Ḥusayn was unique in his martyrdom, and Imams al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq were unique in exposition of legal rulings.
The point is that the imams may be considered from three aspects: (1) In terms of their station of luminosity, where they are all equal. (2) The excellence of the preceding imam over the succeeding imam in general terms, which is implied by this tradition and others. (3) The excellence of a succeeding imam over a preceding imam in terms of particular merits and qualities, such as Imam al-Ḥusayn’s martyrdom, Imam al-Ḥasan’s forbearance, Imam al-Sajjād’s prayers, and Imams al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq’s exposition of legal rulings.
265. What is intended by the prophetic tradition, “God first created my light; from my light He created that of ʿAlī; from my light and that of ʿAlī He created that of Fāṭimah; and from her light He created paradise”?
Answer: This tradition outlines their hierarchy in their cosmological guardianship, and their ranks in the realm of existence.
The Scale of Deeds
266. How does the imam serve as the scale of deeds?
Answer: Scale (mīzān) implies the paragon and representation of Islam. The imam is such a figure, wherewith the merits of others are more or less determined by comparing them to him. There are many narrations which attest to this idea. In the ziyārah (visitation formula) addressed to Imam ʿAlī we read, “Peace be upon the Scale of Deeds.”
267. Why is Imam ʿAlī, rather than the Messenger of God, considered as the scale of deeds?
Answer: The deeds of other members of the ummah are measured with him who was brought up and educated by the Messenger of God in order to show the exalted station of the imam.
268. Why has Imam ʿAlī, out of all imams, been identified as the scale of deeds?
Answer: Because he was treated most unjustly among them.
Imam ʿAlī’s Prayer and Almsgiving
269. How could Imam ʿAlī give his ring to the beggar despite having total presence of the heart in prayer?
Answer: In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim there exists no mention of this story in the chapter about the merits of the caliphs. However, it is stated in the chapter on ṣalāh (prayer) that this verse refers to Imam ʿAlī: Your guardian is only Allah, His Messenger, and the faithful who maintain the prayer and give charity while bowing down ().
This stands in no contradiction with having presence of the heart in prayer, because charity (zakāh) and prayer (ṣalāh) are both acts of devotion. Donating a ring while in the state of prayer is considered as a double act of devotion. There is a similar story to this: Once two camels were presented to the Messenger of God as a gift. He decided to present one of them to anyone who could perform a two-unit prayer with total presence of the heart from beginning to the end. None of the Companions could do so except Imam ʿAlī who made it, even though it occurred to him, while praying, that he should take the fatter camel and donate it in the cause of God. The reason is that the this thought was an act of devotion in its own right, and stood in no contradiction to praying with presence of the heart.
270. How could the Verse of Guardianship () refer to Imam ʿAlī when the verbal form is in the plural?
Answer: There is a verse slightly before that, which refers to ʿAbd-Allāh b. Ubayy, as narrated by Sunni authorities, despite the fact that the verbal form used there is in the plural. Further, there are a number of verses in Chapter 63 (Sūrah al-Munāfiqūn) which allude to ʿAbd-Allāh b. Ubayy, where he is addressed in the plural.
271. Did Imam ʿAlī miss his obligatory prayer (ṣalāh) in the story of radd al-shams (the returning of the sun)? Did he redo his prayer in a new slot of time?
Answer: Do you mean redoing it in another afternoon?! It was the afternoon of the same day, as it would be meaningless to have an afternoon with no morning preceding it.
272. Either way, the imam missed his prayer. So how can this event be a merit for him?
Answer: He did not miss his prayer. He prayed it in its due time. If the sun sets in the evening and then returns in the same afternoon, it will be considered as the afternoon of the same day.
273. Before the return of the sun, was the imam subject to the command, “You should make up [what you have missed]”?
Answer: He was not subject to the command, “You should make up what you have missed” because the Messenger of God, as the legislator of all laws, was right there with him. Further, the afternoon of that day was not over for the imam, so the above command was not applicable to him.
274. Was Imam ʿAlī forced to accept the arbitration (ḥakamiyyah) because of the swords, or did he participate in it by his own will?
Answer: Of course he was forced. He was beset by a bunch of ghouls of the desert. There were a hundred and fifty people wielding their swords and shouting that “so-and-so must be our arbiter, or else you’ll be slain!”
Nahj al-Balāghah
275. Were the sermons of Nahj al-Balāghah authored by Imam ʿAlī or by Sayyid al-Raḍī?
Answer: Such style and expression may not be attained by anybody but the Imam. There have been numerous sermons offered by great scholars ever since the onset of Islam until our day, which they have presented in the preambles of their books. However, none of them comes even close to the sermons in Nahj al-Balāghah [in terms of language and content]. It is indubitably unrivalled, without needing any authentication of transmission. Each and every one of its sentences involves a decisive and demonstrative proof concerning a specific point.
For instance, the first sermon reads, “Foremost in religion is knowing Him [God]. The perfection of knowing Him is affirming Him. The perfection of affirming Him is believing in His Oneness. And the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him pure… Thus, whoever describes God (glory be to Him) by attributes, has set a counterpart for Him. Whoever sets a counterpart for Him, believes in His duality. Whoever believes in His duality, believes in parts for Him. Whoever believes in parts for Him, has failed to know Him. Whoever fails to know Him, points at Him. Whoever points at Him, defines Him. And whoever defines Him, has enumerated Him.” The sentences of Nahj al-Balāghah, compared to other sentences, resemble shining stars in darkness.
(A note from the compiler) At this point, someone narrated from a scholar who teaches at the Islamic Seminary (Ḥawzah) of Qum: “May God bless Sayyid al-Raḍī for taking so much trouble [to compile Nahj al-Balāghah], but it would have been better had he provided the transmission chains of the sermons so that we could separate the ones that are reliable from those that are weak. After all, not all of Nahj al-Balāghah is the speech of Imam ʿAlī!” It was further added that concerning these words of the Imam, “Ask me before you lose me, for indeed I am more acquianted with the ways of the heaven than the ways of the earth,” the same scholar said, “This is a case of mubālaghah (hyperbole, exaggeration). It is like when a father says to his son: I will provide you with whatever you wish.”
(In response to these quotes, ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī simply read out this verse) And one whom Allah has not granted any light has no light ().
276. Does Imam ʿAlī praise ʿUmar in Nahj al-Balāghah?
Answer: There is no mention of the name ʿUmar there, but it says fulān (so and so, such and such person, John Doe). This could be a reference to one of his agents and administrators.
277. From a jurisprudential point of view, is it acceptable to follow the legal rulings of Nahj al-Balāghah?
Answer: Yes, provided that they be compared with further traditions and legal evidence.
278. What if they stand in contradiction to other authentic traditions?
Answer: I wonder if there is any such contradiction in Nahj al-Balāghah.
279. Are there any other sayings by Imam ʿAlī which are not recorded in Nahj al-Balāghah?
Answer: Yes. Even though the Prophet had about 12,000 Companions, the speech of none of them is comparable to that of Imam ʿAlī. His words immensely abound in meaning. There is a book titled Ghurar al-Ḥikam, which contains 11,000 aphorisms, all of which are unequalled in terms of containing profound meanings and serving as keys to many a discipline. Similarly, he has many sentences in supplication that would amount to another 11,000.
Imam al-Ḥasan
280. It is said that Imam al-Ḥasan al-Mujtabá was a habitual divorcer (miṭlāq). Are such sayings accurate?
Answer: Such unfounded claims were forged and ascribed to the Imam by debauched and lustful caliphs and rulers in order to conceal their disgraceful deeds and scandalous harems. The fact is that the Imam, similar to his brother Imam al-Ḥusayn, and his father Imam ʿAlī, was infallible and untouched by any defect. He was moderate in his deeds and was never inclined towards the extremes.
281. Why did Imam al-Ḥasan, unlike Imam al-Ḥusayn, opt for signing a peace treaty with Muʿāwiyah? Why did he not fight like his brother, despite having a great army?
Answer: It is narrated that any imam has a tablet of light from God with him, whereon his obligations are recorded, given the circumstances and exigencies of his time. Submitted solely to the will of God, the imam treads the path of total obedience to God and acts upon his duty to God, whether that is to rise or not. This is reflected in prophetic traditions with respect to Imams al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn.
The circumstances prevailing the time of Imam al-Ḥasan required him to conclude a peace treaty with Muʿāwiyah. Similarly, the politico-social atmosphere besetting Imam al-Ḥusayn required him to oppose Yazīd and embrace martyrdom. The point is that the circumstances under Muʿāwiyah and Yazīd differed. Accordingly, we see that Imam al-Ḥusayn did not swear allegiance to Yazīd for a single day and opted for martyrdom, while he had put up with Muʿāwiyah’s caliphate for ten years during the time of his brother. He followed the lead of his brother as the imam of the time and did not rise against Muʿāwiyah. He lived under Muʿāwiyah’s rule for another ten years after Imam al-Ḥasan’s martyrdom, despite the tremendous hardships and the unfavourable atmosphere of strangulation.
282. It is reported that in the process of concluding the peace treaty between Imam al-Ḥasan and Muʿāwiyah, Ḥujr b. ʿAdī said to the Imam, “O the debaser of believers (ya mudhill al-muʾminīn)!”
Answer: If he really said this, it would show the ignorance of Ḥujr. But as far as I recall, it was Qays b. Saʿd b. ʿUbādah who said this. The Imam then explained to him that the ground was not prepared for fighting and he lacked the required means of defense; that is why he had to sign the peace treaty. Hearing the Imam’s explanation, Qays was convinced.
Imam al-Ḥusayn
283. What was Imam al-Ḥusayn’s reason and objective for his rise, even though he knew that his rise would finally lead to the martyrdom of himself and his supporters, and the captivity of his household?
Answer: The Imam rose bring about reform in the society, give a new life to genuine Islam, and revive the example of his noble grandfather, the Messenger of God, and his father, Imam ʿAlī. This is reflected in his saying, “I am only rising to make correction to the nation of my grandfather Muḥammad. I want to command good, forbid evil, and follow the path of my grandfather and the path of my father, ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib.”
The Imam’s opposition, rise and movement were effectively a declaration that there still exist some people who subscribe to the truth. There are still those who tread the path of truth, for the cause of truth, and aiming for the truth. The Imam was the vanguard of this group. By rising he declared his protest against the [religious] instability, the widespread corruption, and the prevailing intellectual and moral decadence of his society at the time. His movement discredited the way of the governing authorities of the time. It was a way of manifesting the extent of their violence and ruthlessness. It brought to the attention of everyone the atmosphere of pressure and the strangulation that they had created for the Household of the Noble Prophet, such that they did not show mercy even to their infants, women, children, and orphans.
By falling victim to oppression and being martyred, the Imam gave a new life to Islam, proved the truth of Ahl al-Bayt, and revived their thoughts and ideals—for all subsequent generations up to the day of Resurrection.
This was also predicated by Muʿāwiyah, since he strictly commanded Yazīd to abstain from slaying the Imam and to be lenient with him in case the Imam refuses to swear allegiance to him. Muʿāwiyah knew that the Imam would not pledge allegiance to the likes of Yazīd, and that slaying the Imam would pave the path for the collapse of the Umayyad rule, and would make the people turn towards the Household of the Noble Prophet. That would undo his utmost attempt to marginalize the Household of revelation and prophethood by adopting every possible stratagem and leaving no stone unturned.
284. Why did Imam al-Ḥusayn, unlike Imam al-Ḥasan, not opt for peace, compromise, and allegiance? Why did he tread the path of martyrdom?
Answer: It is said in the traditions that each imam sees and acts upon his divine duty which is recorded in a tablet of light, as ordained by God according to His wisdom and with respect to the real interests of humankind. Further, Imam al-Ḥusayn had no other alternative but martyrdom. He had two choices: (1) swearing allegiance to a character like Yazīd, which meant living in disgrace and witnessing the obliteration of Islam; or (2) opposition to Yazīd and refusing to pledge allegiance to him, which meant embracing martyrdom and thereby paving the way for the revival of Islam.
The Imam opted for the latter choice. He totally submitted himself to God’s decree, was completely satisfied with it, and acted on his religious obligation. In contrast to Muʿāwiyah who had adopted hypocritical policies, pretended to be a devout Muslim, and respected the religious beliefs and practices of the people, Yazīd had no Islamic appearance. He openly acted against Islamic sacraments and made a display of his vices, such as drinking, entertaining himself with beautiful boys, music and so on. Thus, he did not respect religious laws in the least, to the extent that when the captives of Karbala and the holy head of Imam al-Ḥusayn were brought to him, he versified the following lines:
There was no revelation
and no news from the unseen.
But Hāshim toyed with it
to have a king and queen.
What made things worse was that he did these while claiming to be the caliph (lit. successor) to the Messenger of God!
285. What is the meaning of thār Allāh?
Answer: It means “God’s blood.”<a id="footnote-066-backlink" class="_idFootnoteLink" href="In_Allamah's_Presence_txt.html#footnote-066">xxxii</a>
286. Had Ḥabīb b. Muẓāhir been apprised of Muslim b. ʿAqīl’s martyrdom? If yes, why did he not help him?
Answer: Apparently he was aware of it. Muslim fell a martyr on 5 Dhū al-Ḥijjah, which was approximately one month before 10 Muḥarram (ʿĀshūrāʾ), and Ḥabīb b. Muẓāhir departed for Karbala after Muslim’s martyrdom. It could be that he was outside Kufah at the time of Muslim’s martyrdom, or something else happened that we don’t know. At any rate, he was not criticized by the imams for this.
287. It is reported that the day of ʿĀshūrāʾ, when the tragedy of Karbala happened, was extraordinarily prolonged. Are such reports sound?
Answer: Yes, there are such reports. However, the incident happened in autumn on 20 Mīzān (Mehr, in the solar calendar; October 9, 680 CE) when the day was almost 12 hours. The battle was fought from daybreak to two hours before sunset.
288. Did Ḥaḍrat ʿAbbās wage war independently?
Answer: He waged war collectively with 49 companions of Imam al-Ḥusayn against the outnumbering Umayyad army, and they were martyered in the morning.
289. How could the very few companions of Imam al-Ḥusayn stand against the Kufan army?
Answer: The companions of Imam al-Ḥusayn had settled for death. Such warriors are more resistant and never flee from battle. In contrast, the Umayyad army were not seeking death.
290. In a ziyārah (visitation prayers) of Imam al-Ḥusayn that is recommended for the first day and the middle of Rajab, we read, “I bear witness that all shadows [and luminous manifestations] of the Throne and all creatures were deeply moved by your blood being shed; and all wept for you: the heavens, the earth, the inhabitants of paradise, and any being in land or sea.” How were the creatures deeply moved in mourning for the imam’s martyrdom?
Answer: The world is deeply moved by an event that afflicts the body of an imam, whether we realize it or not. The imam is interconnected with the world in its entirety, so all creatures of the higher and lower spheres are deeply moved.
Concerning the verse, So when they roused Our wrath, We took vengeance on them (), Imam al-Ṣādiq said, “Indeed God is not angered as we are, but He has created His friends for Himself [to represent Him]. They are created and are regulated [by Him], and He has set their satisfaction and their anger as His own.”
291. Can we deduce from the above narration that even those condemned to hell, like Ibn Muljam, wept for the Imam?
Answer: Many people [in the opposite army] were deeply moved and cried, as they understood that they should not have committed this act. The narration implies that all creatures were deeply moved: the jinn, humankind, the heavens, the earth, all the way up to God’s Throne and Pedestal. They were all deeply moved in grief by the killing of Imam al-Ḥusayn because he was the divinely appointed guardian over the world in its entirety.
All creatures were moved by the incident. Paradise wept, even though it is the abode of happiness and is untouched by grief and fear. If this is meant literally, one would ask, “By what eyes did paradise weep?!” Therefore, what is meant is a general sense of being moved by all creatures, including paradise.
292. Is it true that the sun was covered with blood in mourning for the martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn?
Answer: It is narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq, “The sun was red in rising and setting for forty days after the tragedy of Karbala.”
293. Imam al-Ḥusayn said, “I am a victim of tearful eyes.” We also read in a ziyārah (visitation prayer) devoted to him, “Blessed are you. O the one slain because of tearful eyes!” Furthermore, he is described as: “[O God] send blessing upon al-Ḥusayn, the victim of wrongdoing, the one slain because of tearful eyes.” What is intended by these?
Answer: The martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn broke the hearts of the believers and created mercy and softness in them, which is a means of bringing them closer to God. This manifests, for instance, through establishing mourning sessions where his martyrdom, his sufferings, and the agonies of his household are commemorated by tearful eyes.
Another possible meaning is that his martyrdom and the shedding of his blood were the consequences of the tears shed for slaying ʿUthmān or those polytheists who were slain at the Battles of Badr and Ḥuanyn by Imam ʿAlī on the orders of the Noble Prophet. Those tears sowed the seeds of enmity in the hearts of people against the Household of the Prophet and finally led to the martyrdom of the Imam. In short, it is saying that he is the victim of the vengeance of those who established mourning sessions for ʿUthmān and/or the polytheists. When the holy head of Imam al-Ḥusayn was brought, along with the captives, to Yazīd’s court in Syria, he heard the cawing of a crow, which is considered inauspicious by Arabs. There Yazīd addressed the crow as follows:
The crow cawed and I said,
“Whether you caw or not,
my revenge on the Prophet
I finally have caught.”
Similarly, he pointed at the holy head with a stick of reed and versified these lines:
My ancestors in Badr, who were killed and gored,
I wish they were here, to witness on the board:
how Khazrajcould not resist the sword.
294. In some traditions about weeping for the martyrdom and sufferings of Imam al-Ḥusayn, Imam al-Ṣādiq says, “If a drop of such tears trickles on hell, its fire and heat will be extinguished.” How may this tradition be justified and explained?
Answer: What is wrong if a drop of tear trickles on hellfire and extinguished it by God’s leave and will? Such tear drop would be similar to repentance, which results in the sins to be forgiven, their consequences to be removed, and their punishment to be annulled. In contrast, disbelief destroys good deeds and heavenly blessings, and sets hellfire aflame.
295. There are two traditions which deal with the great merits of visiting the shrine of Imam al-Ḥusayn: (1) “One who visits al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī while acknowledgin his right, will be one of those conversing with God above His Throne.” (2) “[One who visits him] is like one who visits God on His Throne.” What is intended by these traditions?
Answer: This theme is also found in the ziyārah (visitation prayer) devoted to Imam al-Riḍā. It is based on the Infallible Imams being endowed with absolute guardianship and the station of luminosity. They are the manifestations of the beautiful names and attributes of God, as it is stated by them, “We are the beautiful names [of God].” Concerning their knowledge (maʿrifah) they said, “Knowing our reality of luminosity is tantamount to knowing God.” Accordingly, if one knows the imam as he is, one will be able to observe the divine names and attributes, which compose the inward reality of the universe. The same is true if the veils are removed from eyes of one’s heart.
296. Concerning the ziyārah (visitation, pilgrimage) of Imam al-Ḥusayn, it is narrated that “God is fully aware of the needs of his visitors, and He will grant their requests.” What is intended by this?
Answer: This is similar to the verse: and Allah besieges them from all around (). God is all aware of their needs, which He will grant by His grace.
297. Do the other imams also possess the spiritual stations promised by the Noble Prophet to Imam al-Ḥusayn in his dream upon his departure from Medina to Iraq? The Noble Prophet said to him, “There are stations for you in paradise which you may not attain except through martyrdom.”
Answer: No, those stations and privileges are particular to Imam al-Ḥusayn. Had each of the other Infallible Imams faced the same circumstances, they would have acted upon the same obligations and would have made the same sacrifices. However, it happened to be Imam al-Ḥusayn who was chosen to be al-witr al-mawtūr, meaning the unique, favorite of God.
298. Did Imam al-Ḥusayn achieve perfection by means of martyrdom—as other martyrs do?
Answer: He was already perfect, just like the other Infallible Imams. It would be meaningless for the imams to tread the path leading to perfection. They did not come to this world to achieve perfection. Rather, throughout their lives they strove to manifest noble qualities like forbearance, perseverance, and martyrdom, which serve as the means of perfection for others. It is stated in the traditions narrated from them, “I bear witness that you truly strove in the cause [of divine satisfaction] until the inevitable [death] came to you”; “Indeed, you devotedly worshiped God and truly strove [in the cause of divine satisfaction] until the inevitable [death] came to you.”
Al-yaqin (certitude, “the inevitable”) here implies death and martyrdom, rather than attaining perfection and completing the path towards it. Otherwise, they possessed the station of certitude from the beginning. It was with such certitude and perfection that they waged jihad in the cause of God and were martyred.
299. You frequently attend the sermons where the tragedy of Karbala is recalled, although you are aware that numerous errors and mistakes are mentioned in such sessions. Why, then, do you attend these events?
Answer: What can I do? What should I do if I don’t go?
Occultation, Arrival and Return
300. God Almighty says: O you who have faith! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority among you (). Are jurists intended by “those vested with authority,” as it is narrated [from Imam al-Mahdī] about them, “They are those to whom I have entrusted with authority, while I have been entrusted with authority from God”?
Answer: The verse implies that the judgment of “those vested with authority” is correct and exempt from error. It is evident that jurists may at times inadvertently issue incorrect judgments, although they are excused for so doing. The verse does not refer to apparent rulings; thus it does not apply to the jurists.
301. It is said in an epistle written by the Imam of the Age, “It is incumbent on all people to follow the jurists who hold their souls in check, preserve their religion, stand against their desires, and obey the commands of their master.” What is here intended by “holding their souls in check and preserving their religion”? What is the difference between the two?
Answer: The former refers to practicing the branches of religion (furūʿ), while the latter refers to the fundamental beliefs and roots (uṣūl). “Stand against their desires and obey the commands of their master” mean that they should oppose their passions and desires, and should be obedient to the commands of their master [or Master], rather than the commands issued by others. According to the Qur’an’s language, anyone who is obeyed is a god that is served.
302. Is it permissible to give charity on behalf of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his arrival)?
Answer: It is generally permissible to present to the imams and the Noble Prophet gifts, supererogatory prayers, alms, recitation of the Qur’an, and other acts of worship.
303. How can one meet the Imam of the Age?
Answer: The very Imam of the Age said, “Be good and I will come to you myself.”
304. There is a tradition as to the arrival of the Imam of the Age: “He will not arrive unless corruption becomes manifest.” It is also narrated in numerous traditions that “he will fill the earth with equity and justice when the earth has been filled with wrongdoing and injustice.” Could it be inferred from these traditions that in order to pave the way for his arrival, one should not fight against corruption, tyranny, and oppression?
Answer: Such claims necessitate that the unlawful would be treated as lawful, and the obligatory as permissible. Most assuredly, the Imam is not willing to find us sinking into desperate corruption and then behead us.
305. Is this tradition reliable: “All humankind will convert to Islam upon the arrival of Imam al-Mahdī”?
Answer: God Almighty says: When Allah said, “O Jesus, I shall take you[r soul], and I shall raise you up towards Myself, and I shall clear you of [the calumnies of] the faithless, and I shall set those who follow you above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me will be your return, whereat I will judge between you concerning that about which you used to differ” (). The said tradition is not consistent with “I shall set those who follow you above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection” since it is saying that disbelievers will exist until the Day of Resurrection. It is also narrated in a tradition that the Imam will collect tribute (jizyah) from them [non-Muslims].
306. Is there any verse in the Holy Qur’an about the Return (rajʿah)?
Answer: There are a number of verses dealing with the Return. For instance: The day We shall resurrect from every nation a group of those who denied Our signs, and they shall be held in check (). This verse does not refer to the Resurrection because the partitive particle “from” (min) is used, implying that God will resurrect a group from every nation. With respect to Resurrection, however, the Holy Qur’an says: We shall muster them, and We will not leave out anyone of them ().
307. In Ziyārat al-Jāmiʿah [al-Kabīrah] we read: “I believe in your return (iyāb) and acknowledge your return (rajʿah).” What is meant by iyāb and rajʿah?
Answer: They both refer to the return of Imam al-Ḥusayn, followed by the returns of Imam ʿAlī, the Messenger of God and the other imams.
308. How may one return to the material world after dying and going to intermediate world (barzakh)? How may the traditions about the Return (rajʿah) be verified?
Answer: It is reported from the late Sayyid Niʿmat-Allah Jazāʾirī in his al-Anwār al-Nuʿmāniyyah: “There are six hundred attestations of the Return in Qur’anic verses, traditions, invocations, and ziyārahs (visitation prayers).” Despite the contradictions of some traditions, they, beyond doubt, support the usage of rajʿah in the sense of returning to this worldly life after death. It is also explicitly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, as in the case of Prophet Jesus raising the dead.
Similarly, the Qur’an says with respect to the cow of the Children of Israel: And when you killed a soul, and accused one another about it and Allah was to expose whatever you were concealing. We said, “Strike him with a piece of it”; thus does Allah revive the dead, and He shows you His signs so that you may apply reason (). In this verse, a piece of it refers to the cow’s tail. In another context the Qur’an says: Have you not regarded those who left their homes in thousands, apprehensive of death, whereupon Allah said to them, “Die,” then He revived them? (). Likewise, in the story of ʿUzayr (Ezra) it says: So Allah made him die for a hundred years, then He resurrected him… ().
In one tradition about the Return it is said that “The life of the world is one hundred thousand years, eighty thousand of which are ruled by the Prophet’s Household, and twenty thousand years are ruled by others… Forty days before the end of the world, the earth will be deprived of divine authority (ḥujjah) and chaos will predominate. Then after forty days, the blast in the Trumpet (ṣūr) will be heard and the Resurrection will occur.”
Knowledge of the Unseen
309. Do the imams have knowledge of the unseen?
Answer: It is reflected in some verses that knowledge of the unseen exclusively belongs to God. The most explicit of the verses rejecting knowledge of the unseen by anyone besides God is: Say, “No one in the heavens or the earth knows the Unseen except Allah” (). However, it is reflected in another verse that the prophets—with whom God is pleased—are also divinely endowed with such knowledge: [God is] the Knower of the Unseen, He does not disclose His Unseen to anyone except to a messenger that He is pleased with ().
Accordingly, a comparison of the verses indicates that it is solely God who independently knows the unseen by the virtue of His essence, but then He may endow His chosen prophets with such knowledge as well. As stated in numerous traditions, the imams are the heirs to the knowledge of the Messenger of God. In other words, the imams’ knowledge of the unseen is derived from that of the Noble Prophet, who in turn has his knowledge from God and through divine revelation. In all of this, it is only God’s knowledge which is due to His own essence.
310. Does it make one faithless if he maintains that the imams were unaware of what would happen to their relatives, acquaintances, and others?
Answer: The belief in the imams having knowledge of the unseen is not a necessary constituent of Shia beliefs. Thus, its denial does not lead to unbelief. What is founded on rational arguments is that an imam, as a the leader, needs to be aware of the people’s needs in their worldly and religious matters. Yet, according to numerous traditions, the imams are aware of all events in the past, present, and future.
311. Some traditions say, “They [the imams] know if they wish to.” Does this mean that the imams didn’t know about things that they didn’t want to know about?
Answer: These traditions mean that they know if they wish to, and they don’t know if they don’t wish to know. When they wished to know something, they would attend to their “station of luminosity” and learn about it. However, they did not attend to that station at all times. It is similar to a jurist who does not know the answer to all the questions, but he is able to consult the sources of legal ruling and exercise his ability to extract the answer.
312. According to mustafīḍ or mutawātir traditions, the imams were unaware of the time of their death. For instance, in Nahj al-Balāghah Imam ʿAlī says, “All my inquiries about the time of my death proved futile… Nay, it is a hidden knowledge [that exclusvely belongs to God].”
Answer: Such unawareness pertains to their apparent human acitivities, plans and calculations. This doesn’t deny or contradict with their “station of luminosity” whereby they know what they wish to. The Noble Prophet similarly had such exoteric aspects, as God commands him in the Qur’an: Say, “I am just a human being like you” (, ).
In one of the battles when the Prophet and his Companions were on their way back to Medina, they stayed beside a well named Baqʿāʾ, located a parasang (league) from Medina. The Noble Prophet, by virtue of his knowledge of the unseen, informed his Companions of the death of a hypocrite. Then their camels, including that of the Prophet, were lost in a violent storm, so he commanded them to go look for his camel. There one of the hypocrites said, “The man claims to be endowed with the knowledge of the unseen and informs others of the death of a hypocrite, whereas he is ignorant of where his own camel is.” Apprised of the hypocrite’s derisive remark, the Prophet told them that his camel is trapped in a thorn bush in such and such valley. Then his Companions found the camel there, exactly as the Prophet had said. “They know when they wish to.”
313. According to a tradition, once the Messenger of God wanted to lift a rock, but his hand was stung by a scorpion beneath it. He then asked for salt wherewith he dressed the sting. There is also the account about the Noble Prophet being fed [poisoned] fish. How would you justify these account [to be compatible with the Prophet’s knowledge of the unseen and his duty not to cast himself into destruction]?
Answer: To complement your question, there is another tradition which says that the Noble Prophet’s abdomen was stung by a scorpion, so he asked for salt wherewith he dressed the sting. It should be noted that the knowledge of the Prophet and the imams was not subject to badāʾ (apparent alteration) in. Therefore, when they knew that something is bound to happen, they would submit themselves to it and would not attempt to prevent it. God Almighty says: Say, “Even if you had remained in your houses, those destined to be slain would have set out towards the places where they were laid to rest” ().
314. Granted that the imams were endowed with the knowledge of the unseen, why did they eat poisoned grapes and the like? Why did they intentionally cause themselves to perish?
Answer: It is worthy of note that “as long as the existence of something does not become necessary, it doesn’t come to existence” (al-shayʾ mā lam yajib lam yūjad). So, any act is not necessary in relation to its agent alone, but it is necessary in relation to its complete cause, including divine will. There is no inconsistency between an act being voluntary, or being subject to command and prohibition, and the act being necessary. For instance, human volitional acts are commanded by God, while they occur only when they become necessary.
Accordingly, the imams acted upon their obligations, despite knowing that they would be martyred. For instance, Imam ʿAlī approached the praying niche (miḥrāb) [where he would be struck]; Imams al-Ḥasan and al-Riḍā ingested poison mixed with a beverage or a fruit like pomegranate or grapes; and Imam al-Ḥusayn fought at Karbala. Nonetheless, they neither sought remedies nor did they try to avert divine preordainments.
To clarify this, we should distinguish two kinds of knowledge: (1) One may know, beyond doubt, that he will volitionally, at eleven o’clock, eat poisonous food or will have an accident in such and such square or street, and thus will lose his life. (2) One may know, beyond doubt, that he will have an accident, for instance at eleven o’clock, in such and such square or street or he will be shot, but the occurrence of the incident will depend on him going to those locations, in that if one goes there he will lose his life, and if not he will not lose his life.
In the first case, seeking a remedy would be meaningless, because it is a stage of knowing about one’s death, not a stage of choosing whether or not to take one’s own life. Therefore, the verse, and do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction () is not applicable in the least to a person in this stage. In the second case, however, seeking some remedy and not welcoming destruction would be advisable, and the verse is applicable to the person.
Now, we say that the former case is applicable to the imams, in that they knew that the event will occur inevitably (whether they want it or not). Hence, it would have been meaningless to seek some remedy and refrain from being present at the scene. The assumption is that the imam knows, beyond doubt, all the happenings. In fact, the verse advises people to refrain from casting themselves into destruction. In the case of the imams, however, they did not cast themselves into destruction, but they saw themselves already cast there.
315. Did Imam al-Ḥusayn have any foreknowledge of his martyrdom?
Answer: It is supported by rational and narrtional evidence that the imam is a perfect man, endowed with the spiritual station of luminosity (maqām al-nūrāniyyah). He is the most perfect of his contemporaries, is a manifestation of all the divine names and attributes, and is endowed with God’s Greatest Name. Accordingly, he “knows the happenings in the past, present, and future, until the Day of Resurrection.” It is by this knowledge and his spiritual station of luminosity that he knows the world and its inhabitants. He knows everything that shall happen, whether at the personal level or the social level, whether in the past, present, or future. Nothing is concealed from his spiritual eyes, despite the fact that his outward conducts resemble those of other people in ordinary life.
Accordingly, Imam al-Ḥusayn was fully aware of his martyrdom and its details in terms of time, place, manner and other things, as he referred to them in various occasions. For instance, in response to the inquiries made by some people, he said that his grandfather, the Messenger of God, said to him, “God has willed to see you slain.” Inquired about the reason behind taking his household with him, the Imam replied, “God has willed to see them in captivity.” What is meant by “will” (mashiyyah) here is religious duty and God’s legislative will.
316. Was the martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn caused by divine preordainment? If so, how may the Imam’s foreknowledge be reconciled with all incidents, including his martyrdom?
Answer: Yes, the martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn had been divinely preordained, but the foreknowledge with which an imam is endowed does not alter his responsibility to fulfill what God has inevitably decreed for him. Since divine pre-ordainments, like the martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn, are inevitable, they are subject neither to human will nor to God’s commands and prohibitions. It has been decreed that the event should inevitably occur as recorded in the Guarded Tablet, irrespective of human will.
With respect to such events, one cannot order someone to participate in them or avoid them, because the event will inevitably occur regardless of human will. The relation of an event to all of its constituents causes—which compose the complete cause—is that of necessity.
Nevertheless, the Imam submitted to this inevitable preordainment of God and was satisfied with it. In the outset of his movement he delivered a sermon in Mecca where he said, “Death is written for the children of Adam… There is no escape from the day written by the Pen [of decree].” This refers to the recording of his martyrdom by the pen of creation on the Guarded Tablet.
Then he proceeded to say, “The satisfaction of God is the satisfaction of us Ahl al-Bayt [Household of the Prophet]. We shall have patience in His trials, and He will reward us in full the reward of those who are steadfast.” In his last moments, suffering from mortal wounds all over his body, he said, “O Lord! I am patient in Your affliction, satisfied with Your decree, and obedient to Your command. There is no god to be worshiped besides You. O Helper of those who seek help!”
317. Do the imams know all the particular events of the world?
Answer: Based on numerous traditions, they know “what was and what is and what will be until the Day of Resurrection.”
318. It is narrated that Imam al-Jawād answered thirty thousand questions in a single session. How could this be possible?
Answer: Apparently the Imam provided one answer for a series of questions. The narration doesn’t refer only to the questions, but the questions and answers overall. It means the Imam provided full answers to all of them.
The Imams’ Knowledge of their Imamate
319. How would an imam know that he is an imam?
Answer: According to Imam al-Riḍā, he would know when he finds himself to be the lowest of the low. The same also applies to understanding prophethood. However, prophets may also learn about their prophethood by virtue of divine revelation.
320. Is it really true that the imam is “the lowest of the low” or is it rather his mental conception?
Answer: This is in fact the reality, for human perfection lies in poverty. The perfect man is one who understands that he has nothing of his own, neither perfection, nor independence, nor soul, nor anything else. He realizes that all of these really belong to God. The more one understands his poverty and need, the more perfect he is, in that he understands that he himself, his life, his soul, and all his existential perfections and actions belong to God. The most perfect of humankind is one who considers himself as the poorest and neediest of people. It doesn’t mean that others have while he doesn’t; rather, he understands his poverty and need whereas they do not.
Accordingly, no one ever possesses anything of his own. The difference is that others imagine that they are perfect in their own right; they presume that what they have belongs to them. The imam, in contrast, understands that he is not perfect in his own right and has nothing of himself. He realizes his poverty and need (despite being endowed with all perfections).
Hence, the imam is one who knows that he is not independent in perfection. The tradition cited above implies that having understood his essential poverty and need, despite being endowed with qualities of perfection, the imam understands that he has attained the station of imamate.
321. How come human perfection lies in understanding one’s poverty and need?
Answer: This is exactly perfection! Anybody, whether perfect or imperfect, sees oneself as possessing some degree of perfection. The imam, however, understands his absolute poverty and knows that whatever he has belongs to God. Others imagine that they own everything, while the imam views his poverty and need.
322. Is it possible that a succeeding imam knows some event which had not occurred at the time of his preceding imam and thus he did not know about it?
Answer: The succeeding imam owes all his knowledge to his predecessor. Thus, the preceding imam would have also known about that event.
The Imams’ Inheritance and Increase of Knowledge
323. Have the imams obtained their the knowledge from the Noble Prophet?
Answer: This is what the traditions suggest.
324. If they are heirs to the Prophet’s knowledge, doesn’t that contradict traditions that say, “They know if they wish to”?
Answer: Apparently God has given the imams two kinds of knowledge: one is like our axiomatic knowledge that they know it at all times; the other requires consideration and attention, such that “they know when they wish to.” The latter resembles the ability of jurists, whereby they can exercise their independent judgment and consult the sources in order to issue rulings. They are not attentive to it at all times, but when some question is posed to them, they attend to this ability and find an answer to the question. Similarly, when the imam attends to his station of luminosity he will know what he wishes to know.
325. It is narrated in numerous traditions, as reported in Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, that the imams’ souls ascend to the heavens on Friday evenings and their knowledge expands considerably. How is this consistent with the said tradition that “they know when they wish to”?
Answer: There is no contradiction between the two. “They know if they wish to” through their souls’ ascent to heavens on Friday evenings [that is, after sunset on Thursday nights].
326. Could it be inferred from these traditions and those dealing with the presentation of deeds (ʿarḍ al-aʿmāl) that their knowledge is gradual (tadrījī), rather than instantaneous (dafʿī), meaning that they don’t have complete knowledge instantaneously communicated to them by the Messenger of God?
Answer: Their knowledge is instantaneous, even though the object of their knowledge materializes gradually in time. In other words, they know about things that are gradual, not that their knowledge is gradual. What the Messenger of God taught Imam ʿAlī was at a single instant, unlike common teachings which are done in time.
The same is true about the knowledge of the Prophet himself, as reflected in the verse: We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things (). The phrase “of all things” is inconsistent with graduality. It is worthy of note that the day of mabʿath (when the Prophet was charged with his prophetic mission) marks the onset of his risālah (messengership) [not the onset of his nubuwwah, prophethood]. It can be inferred from the theme of Chapter 96 (Sūrah al-ʿAlaq) that it was the first chapter to be revealed to the Messenger of God. This chapter also indicates that his prophethood predated his messengership. It is stated elsewhere in the verses of the Qur’an that the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet at a single instant on the eve of 19, 21, or 23 of Ramadan, as God says: Indeed We sent it down on a blessed night (); Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment (). This was followed by the gradual revelation of the Qur’an in a period of twenty-three years, where Chapter 1 (Sūrah al-Ḥamd) was revealed twice.
327. It is reported in the traditions that the souls of the prophets, their successors, and the imams ascend towards the Throne on Friday evenings and obtain knowledge there. Are these traditions reliable?
Answer: This is mentioned in traditions about the imams, but I have not come across those regarding the prophets. What is the problem with their being endowed with such knowledge?
328. According to some traditions, the imams know what is in the heavens, the earth, and the events of past, present, and future. Are these traditions inconsistent with those regarding the increase in their knowledge on Friday evenings?
Answer: No, they indicate that the imams know “what happened and what will happen” but by the means that are mentioned in the other traditions which we already discussed. That is, they ascend to the heavens on Friday nights and their knowledge increases.
Presentation of Deeds to the Imams
329. Is the presentation of deeds (ʿarḍ al-aʿmāl) to the imam a formality?
Answer: No, it is not a formality, but it is a reality. All deeds of the servants are always present before the imam, and he is never inattentive of them. The imam is like a gardener of those deeds: he channels them, whether good or bad, towards their ends and towards God. It is also the imam who is in charge of the deeds when someone dies, upon the questioning in the grave, and at the stations of reckoning, scales and the bridge on the Day of Resurrection. God says: The day We shall summon every group of people with their imam (). Concerning the verses, Indeed to Us will be their return. Then, indeed, their reckoning will lie with Us (), the imams said that “Us” refers to them.
330. Are the actions of the people presented to the imam on the Night of Ordainment (laylat al-qadr)?
Answer: Based on the traditions, the deeds are presented to the imam twice a week. The Night of Ordainment is when all affairs are apportioned, and there is no problem with the imam knowing them at that point. The angels descend on that night to present to him the divine preordainments.
Infallibility
331. What is infallibility (ʿiṣmah)?
Answer: Addressing the Noble Prophet, God says: Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know, and great is Allah’s grace upon you (). The verse implies that God endowed the Noble Prophet with two kinds of knowledge. First, he was endowed with knowledge through divine revelation and the descent of Gabriel, as the Qur’an says: Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom (); Brought down by the Trustworthy Spirit upon your heart (). Second, He has taught you what you did not know (), which is a kind of divine revelation without the intervention of an intermediary like an angel.
Infallibility lies in the latter divine blessing. It is a kind of knowledge that holds all of one’s natural faculties and desires in check and prevents them from falling into sin, error, and imperfection. This kind of knowledge develops an aversion to sin in the person’s heart. It is reported in some traditions that the Noble Prophet and the imams are endowed with a spirit, called the Holy Spirit (rūḥ al-qudus), who impedes them from committing sins.
The reason why infallibility is a kind of knowledge is the part of the above verse which says:and He has taught you what you did not know (). Concerning the context of revelation of this verse, it is narrated that three brothers burgled the house of one of the Anṣār (Medinite Supporters) at night and stole some wheat flour, an armor, and some weapons. The Noble Prophet issued a search order and the burglars were caught before long. They were caught when the Companions noticed smoke coming from their oven as they baked bread at midnight, which was unusual, especially given their poverty. When they noticed that the Companions were after them, they cast the armor into the house of a Jew and fled away.
Some of the Companions went to the Prophet and asked him to have the Jew punished instead of inflicting a loss on the Muslims by having their hands severed. The incident occasioned the divine revelation of the verse, which informed the Messenger of God about the fact of the matter.
Accordingly, infallibility is a kind of knowledge which leads the knower to tread the path of obedience to God at all times, and impedes him from committing sins. It is not similar to the common knowledge of distinguishing between good and bad deeds, and knowing their results and consequences. The latter kind of knowledge is not necessarily incompatible with committing sins, disobedience, and error. Despite knowing the evil consequences of an evil deed, one may be overcome by one’s appetite or anger to commit that act, as reflected in these verses: Have you seen him who has taken his desire to be his god and whom Allah has led astray knowingly (); They impugned them though they were convinced in their hearts ().
In short, the prophets’ infallibility is the knowledge that impedes them at all times from committing sins. By virtue of this knowledge, their organs and faculties are always aligned with the divine disposition and innate nature (fiṭrah) of humankind. Thus they are never overwhelmed by their instincs, desires and temptations.
332. Is it possible for others to reach the same level of infallibility as the prophets and imams?
Answer: Logically yes, but we have no evidence to prove its occurrence.
333. With respect to infallibility, you have said: “It is not something takwīnī [that is, created by God and thus unflinching] but it is something tashrīʿī [that is, up to the person’s choice].It depends on the willpower of the prophets.” What does this mean?
Answer: Where did I say that “infallibility is tashrīʿī”?! Infallibility is a result of the knowledge that God bestows upon the person. An infallible person is subject to religious obligations, where he can choose either side, but the quality of infallibility is not a matter of choice. The Noble Prophet and the imams, who were infallible, were also responsible for religious obligations which were legislated (tashrīʿī).
334. Are infallible individuals able to disobey divine commands?
Answer: Yes, otherwise religious obligation would be inapplicable to them. They are capable of disobeying, but never do so by virtue of their infallibility.
335. God narrates from Prophet Joseph: Yet I do not absolve my [own carnal] soul, for the [carnal] soul indeed prompts [men] to evil, except inasmuch as my Lord has mercy. Indeed my Lord is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful (). It may be inferred from except inasmuch as my Lord has mercy that Joseph was preserved from sinning by God, independent of his will.
Answer: The infallible person acquires some knowledge about the reality of sin which prevents him from ever inclining towards disobeying God. At the same time, the prophets and the imams have the same obigations which are incumbent on us. God Almighty says: Were it not for Allah’s grace and His mercy on you, a group of them were bent on leading you astray; but they do not mislead anyone except themselves, and they cannot do you any harm. Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know, and great is Allah’s grace upon you (). He also says: She certainly made for him; and he would have made for her [too] had he not beheld the proof of his Lord ().
So, divine teaching is the cause of the prophets’ infallibility, whereby they never commit sins. The truth of infallibility lies in the knowledge which keeps the infallible person untouched by sins. Nonethless, the person is still subject to religious obligations.
336. Is it possible for an infallible person to disobey his obligations with respect to dos and don’ts? If yes, why does he never disobey?
Answer: Yes, the infallible person may disobey, but he does not do so because of his infallibility.
337. In the Verse of Purification (āyat al-taṭhīr) God says with respect to the Ahl al-Bayt: Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification (). Does this verse imply that God has lifted impurity—or its cause, which is disobedience—from them?
Answer: The Infallibles had religious responsibility and obligation with respect to obedience and disobedience. They were subject to the same obligations that we are subject to. Infallibility does not negate one’s responsibility.
338. Is it possible that the Infallibles would disobey God?
Answer: It is not possible for the infallibles to disobey God.
339. So [given your answer to the last question], infallibility must be something takwīnī [that is, created by God, without the preson’s choice].
Answer: No, they are still subject to religious obligations [which hinge on the subject’s free will].
340. So, It may be said that they had obligations, but it is by God’s will, rather than their own, that they never disobey God.
Answer: No, they are not obliged to abstain from sinning, but it is by their free will and choice that they do not disobey God. Of course, their will is dependent on God’s will.
341. God says regarding Prophet Joseph: She certainly made for him; and he would have made for her [too] had he not beheld the proof of his Lord. So it was, that We might turn away from him all evil and indecency. He was indeed one of Our dedicated servants (). Since the verse says, so it was, that We might turn away from him all evil and indecency, could we infer that God’s will is the sole cause of the act, without the choice and free will of the infallible person playing a role in it?
Answer: The verse deals with the infallibility of Joseph as well as all “chosen servants of God” (mukhlaṣūn). Infallibility is a kind of knowledge that God bestows upon the prophets and other infallibles. However, this kind of knowledge differs from common types of knowledge, such as knowing the difference between good and evil, or the difference between the consequences of each. Although these common forms of knowledge usually hold one’s faculties (such as lust and anger) in check, there are occasions when they are overwhelmed by those faculties, and that results in error and disobedience. Infallibility, on the other hand, is a kind of knowledge which always holds selifish and satanic inclinations in check; it is not consistent with any form of error and disobedience to God.
342. Is infallibility the outcome of knowledge, or is it itself a form of knowledge?
Answer: Infallibility is the outcome of the knowledge divinely bestowed on the infallibles. The knowledge mentioned in Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom () is different from what the verse says next:and He has taught you what you did not know (). The infallibles are responsible for religious obligations just like all other people, because they too are human beings. So there are two stages involved here: (1) the stage of knowledge and its resulting trait of infallibility [in one’s soul]; and (2) the stage of free will and acting upon obligations [in practice].
The Prophet’s Sins and Forgetfulness
343. If the Noble Prophet was untouched by disobedience to God, why did he ask for forgiveness every day? This is reflected in the prophetic tradition, “Indeed my heart is touched by speckles of rust. [Thus] I ask God for forgiveness seventy times a day.”
Answer: It is beyond doubt that the Noble Prophet did not, overtly or covertly, commit any act of disobedience. Therefore “being touched by speckles of rust” must imply something other than disobedience, even in his heart.
344. In your book Sunan al-Nabī [on prophetic traditions], you narrate the following account from one of the imams: “Once the mantle of God’s Messenger was spread for him twofold, and he slept on it. But then he overslept and thus missed the time of his prayer.” How do you explain this tradition?
Answer: The Messenger of God was also a human being [with a body]. His body found itself in a comfortable position, and thus it continued to rest. This is a famous story [that cannot be denied]. Nonetheless, he never slept on a twofold mantle after that.
345. Is the above account [mentioned in the last question] consistent with the prophetic tradition, “My eyes sleep, but my heart does not”?
Answer: The prophetic tradition means that “I never forget God; I never become heedless of Him; I’m always mindful of Him and of my position as His creature.
346. How is it that he never forget God but he forgot to act upon His obligation? Is this consistent with his infallibility?
Answer: He had asked Bilāl to wake him up, but Bilāl fell asleep as well. When the Noble Prophet censured Balāl, he said, “The same one who held your eyes in check did the same to me.” However, missing an obligation in sleep is not against infallibility, since such lapse is not against divine command to contravene infallibility.
347. The Qur’an ascribes sin to the Prophet where it says: Indeed We have inaugurated for you a clear victory, that Allah may forgive you what is past of your sin and what is to come (). Do these verses contradict the Prophet’s infallibility?
Answer: No. In the above verse, the word “sin” (dhanb) does not mean disobedience to authoritative (mawlawī) commands of God. Similarly, “forgiveness” (maghfirah, ghufrān) is not meant as forgiving sins. Rather, dhanb is derived from dhanab (consequence, tail), and ghufrān is meant literally: “to conceal, to blot out.”
Accordingly, this verse refers to God’s favor to His Messenger in the conquest of Mecca. The Quraysh were vengeful of him, caused unrest for him, and used to put him under pressure prior to that. There were also adverse consequences that would continue to haunt him in the future. However, God blotted out all of that and secured His Messenger.
348. God says in the Qur’an: We shall have you recite [the Qur’an], then you will not forget [any of it] except what Allah may wish (). Does this mean that the Noble Prophet was subject to forgetfulness by divine will?
Answer: First, it is noteworthy that the verses are about divine revelation, and that scholars are unanimous that the Noble Prophet never forgot the divine revelation. Second, some scholars believe that just as the Noble Prophet never forgot the divine revelation, he also never intentionally disobeyed divine commands, which is the meaning of infallibility. As with committing mistakes in matters that do not pertain to divine revelation and divine commands, the scholars say that there is no evidence to deny it. However, the fact is that the Prophet Muḥammad, in particular, did not make any mistakes even in non-obligatory and non-revelatory matters. This is contrary to the case of other prophets, as the Qur’an explicitly talks about their involuntary mistakes and forgetfulness.
Now, what we can say concerning these verses [] is that God is reminding the Prophet of His favors and blessings upon him. He is saying that We have taught you the Qur’an in such manner that you would never forget it. Therefore, the exception in the verse, except what Allah may wish (), is similar to an exception mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’an: As for the felicitous, they will be in paradise. They will remain in it for as long as the heavens and the earth endure except what your Lord may wish an endless bounty (). Such exception is meant to indicate the unconditional omnipotence of God. It means that even though the Noble Prophet has been divinely endowed with such blessing, God maintains His absolute omnipotence. In other words, the Noble Prophet was divinely blessed with such grace, but divine power is absolute, and He may deprive him of that blessing whenever He wishes to, though He will never do that.
Some of those traditions are discussed below. Also see al-Kāfī, 1:143ff. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 15, p. 24, tradition 43, vol. 25, p. 21, tradition 37, vol. 57, p. 170, tradition 116. ↩︎
Ibid., vol. 98, p. 393, tradition 1. ↩︎
Ibid. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 48, p. 129, tradition 2. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 24, p. 87, tradition 1. ↩︎
Ibid. ↩︎
The exact narration is: “The imam is the nest of divine will; he does not will except what God wills.” ibid., vol. 25, p. 385, tradition 41. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 45, p. 1. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 15, p. 9, tradition 9, vol. 25, p. 6, tradition 9, vol. 53, p. 142, tradition 162, vol. 15, p. 10, tradition 11, vol. 24, p. 88, tradition 4, vol. 25, p. 16, tradition 30. ↩︎
See al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 419; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 7, p. 249, vol. 24, pp. 188, 353. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 100, p. 287, tradition 18, p. 330, tradition 29. ↩︎
See Ṭabarānī, al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr, vol. 2, p. 357; Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd, Sharḥ Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. 12, p. 277; Naẓm al-Durar al-Simṭayn, pp. 23, 86-88. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 36, p. 161; Taʾwīl al-Āyāt, p. 593; Shawāhid al-Tanzīl, vol. 2, p. 266; Ibn Shahr-Āshūb, Manāqib, vol. 2, p. 20. ↩︎
The verse is: O you who have faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for allies: they are allies of each other (). A number of traditions have been quoted by ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī from al-Durr al-Manthūr regarding the context of revelation of this verse, saying that it was revealed about ʿAbd-Allāh b. Ubayy. ↩︎
See verses and ʿAllāmah’s discussion of traditions in al-Mīzān under these verses. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 41, p. 166, traditions in bāb 109. ↩︎
Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon 1. ↩︎
Ibid., Sermon 189; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 10, p. 128, tradition 7, vol. 69, p. 227, tradition 19. ↩︎
See Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon 228. ↩︎
See al-Kāfī, vol. 6, p. 56; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 12, p. 43, vol. 22, pp. 9, 12. ↩︎
See al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 387; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 25, p. 39, vol. 26, pp. 33, 134-135; Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, pp. 431-432, 435-437, 439-440. The tradition, as recorded in al-Kāfī is: “When the matter [of imamate] is vested with an imam, God provides him with a column of light whereby he sees what the inhabitants of any region do.” Each of these traditions contains very elegant sentences. I encourage the interested readers to consult them. ↩︎
The Noble Prophet said with reference to Imams al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn: “These two sons of mine are imams (lit. leaders), whether they rise or sit.” Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 16, p. 306, vol. 21, p. 266, vol. 37, p. 7, vol. 43, p. 227. ↩︎
Dalāʾil al-Imāmah, p. 64. ↩︎
See al-Ṣawārim al-Muḥriqah, p. 193. According to some accounts, the one who said the above statement was Sufyān b. Laylá See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 44, p. 23; al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, p. 82; Ibn Dāwūd, Rijāl, p. 172; ʿAllāmah al-Ḥillī, Rijāl, p. 81; Kashshī, Rijāl, p. 111; Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd, Sharḥ Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. 16, pp. 16, 44. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 387; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 25, pp. 39, 42, vol. 26, p. 134. ↩︎
TR: In this poem, Hāshim is metonymy for the Prophet Muḥammad. Hāshim was one of the ancestors of the Prophet, and his descendants were known as Banū Hāshim. ↩︎
Ibn Shahr-Āshūb, Manāqib, vol. 4, p. 114; al-Iḥtijāj, vol. 2, p. 307; al-Luhūf, p. 181. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 101, p. 337, tradition 1, p. 152, tradition 3, p. 266, tradition 42; Mafātīḥ al-Jinān, ziyārah of Imam al-Ḥusayn recommended for the first and middle of Rajab. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 4, p. 65; al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 144; al-Tawḥīd, p. 168; Maʿānī al-Akhbār, p. 19. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 13, pp. 105, 175, tradition 13, p. 182, tradition 25, vol. 45, p. 215, tradition 38, vol. 45, p. 218, tradition 45. ↩︎
Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, p. 422; Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 10, p. 311; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 44, pp. 279-280, 284, vol. 98, p. 48. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 98, pp. 224, 359; Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 333; al-Balad al-Amīn, p. 288. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 98, pp. 244, 331, 336, 354; Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 712; Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 6, p. 113. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 45, p. 199. ↩︎
Khazraj here refers to the Prophet’s Household. ↩︎
ibid., vol. 33, p. 12, vol. 45, pp. 133, 156-157, 167, 186. ↩︎
Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, p. 507; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 44, p. 289; Kāmil al-Ziyārāt, p. 101: “If a drop of his tears trickles on hell, its heat will be extinguished such that no heat will be there any longer.” ↩︎
Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 10, p. 251; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 98, p. 73; Kāmil al-Ziyārāt, p. 141. ↩︎
Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 6, p. 45; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, p. 411; Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 10, p. 250; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 98, p. 69. ↩︎
Al-Kāfī, p. 585; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, pp. 564-565; Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 10, p. 357; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 97, p. 144. This theme is also found in the ziyārah of the Messenger of God: Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 6, p. 4; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, p. 335. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. vol. 25, p. 25, vol. 27, p. 37. ↩︎
Ibid., vol. 26, pp. 1-2, where it is narrated from Imam ʿAlī: “To know my luminosity is to know God, and to know God is to know my luminosity.” ↩︎
Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 6, p. 45; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, pp. 429, 481; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 45, p. 172; Kāmil al-Ziyārāt, pp. 127, 336. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 98, p. 313; Iqbāl al-Aʿmāl, p. 571; Jamāl al-Usbūʿ, p. 35. ↩︎
Jamāl al-Usbūʿ, p. 35; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 99, p. 215. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 2, p. 9, tradition 13, vol. 53, p. 181, tradition 10, vol. 78, p. 380, tradition 1. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 2, p. 88, tradition 12. ↩︎
For instance, see verse . ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 36, p. 358, tradition 228, vol. 24, p. 241, tradition 4, vol. 27, p. 119, tradition 99, vol. 28, p. 53, tradition 21, vol. 33, p. 157, tradition 421, vol. 36, p. 226, tradition 2, p. 257, tradition 75, p. 271, tradition 92, p. 276, tradition 96. ↩︎
Ibid., vol. 52, p. 375, tradition 175, p. 376, tradition 185, p. 376, tradition 177, p. 381, tradition 191. ↩︎
Ibid., vol. 102, p. 131, tradition 4. ↩︎
Ibid., vol. 53, p. 145, tradition 4, vol. 51, p. 348, tradition 1, vol. 6, p. 18, tradition 1, vol. 23, p. 41, tradition 78. ↩︎
TR: ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī narrates a tradition from Imam al-Riḍā in al-Mīzān, (the last narration in the discussion of traditions of Chapter 72). The narrator says, “Imam al-Riḍā said to me, ‘Would you accept if I say that a relative of yours will be slain in the next few days?’ I said, ‘No, since only God is aware of the unseen.’ The Imam then recited verses and said, ‘God is pleased with the Messenger of God and we are the heirs to the Prophet who is divinely endowed with the knowledge of the unseen. Thus he has taught us the knowledge of the past and the future until the Day of Resurrection.’” ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī proceeds to say, “Innumerable traditions have been narrated in this respect, saying that the Prophet is endowed with the knowledge of the unseen through divine revelation, and the imams have got this knowledge from the Messenger of God as his heirs. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 26, p. 109, bāb 14. ↩︎
Ibid., vol. 26, p. 56, traditions 116-117. ↩︎
See Q 295 above. ↩︎
TR: A mutawātir (mass-transmitted, repeatedly narrated) tradition is one that has been transmitted by so many individuals that its credibility cannot be doubted. A mustafiḍ (multiple, diffused) tradition is one that is reported by more than three transmitters, but is not mutawātir. ↩︎
Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon 149. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 2, p. 284; Majmaʿ al-Bayān, vol. 10, p. 23; al-Mīzān, vol. 19, p. 284. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 16, p. 291, tradition 157, vol. 62, p. 207, traditions 1-2, vol. 64, p. 273, tradition 42, vol. 66, p. 273, tradition 42, vol. 66, p. 359, tradition 3, vol. 84, p. 302, tradition 23. ↩︎
See Q 93 and 104-105 above. ↩︎
TR: This is the same as al-wilāyat al-takwīniyyah (creational authority, existential guardianship). It is the idea that the imam is not a merely physical being in the temporal world of matter, but he has a transcendent reality in the chain of causes and effects in the universe. This is called light (nūr) in the sense that light is somewhat immaterial. The station of luminosity or light means that the imam is one of the top causes through which God creates the rest of the universe. Thus he encompasses all other beings, events, and planes of existence, in the sense that he knows about them, wields power over them, and comprises their perfections existentially. ↩︎
Al-Iḥtijāj, vol. 1, p. 258; al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, p. 235. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 44, p. 364; al-Luhūf, p. 65. ↩︎
See chapter 3 on determinism and free will. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 44, pp. 366-367; Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 2, p. 29; al-Luhūf, pp. 60-61. ↩︎
Ibid. ↩︎
Garmārūdī, Dharīʿat al-Najāh. ↩︎
See Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, p. 128; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 17, p. 144, tradition 32, vol. 26, p. 27, tradition 27, p. 48, tradition 90, p. 111, tradition 9, vol. 46, p. 296, tradition 25, vol. 49, p. 30, tradition 2, vol. 9, p. 111, vol. 26, tradition 8, vol. 47, p. 35, tradition 33, vol. 92, p. 85, tradition 19, p. 86, traditions 20-21, p. 89, tradition 32, p. 101, traditions 76-77. ↩︎
See al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 496; Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 28, p. 280; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 50, p. 93. ↩︎
TR: Therefore, the answer to the question is that it is both a reality and a mental conception. It is a reality with regards to everyone, but its full understanding is only achieved by the imam. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 26, p. 111, tradition 9, vol. 13, p. 300, tradition 20, vol. 17, p. 144, tradition 32, vol. 26, p. 196, traditions 6-7. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 26, p. 56, tradition 117, vol. 26, p. 56, tradition 116, Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, p. 315. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 22, p. 552, tradition 9, vol. 26, p. 90, tradition 9. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 23, p. 333, bāb 20. ↩︎
SeeBaṣāʾir al-Darajāt, pp. 313-315; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 22, p. 461, tradition 9. ↩︎
See Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, p. 131, where it is narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq: “The souls of deceased prophets and their successors, as well as the soul of the living successor, are allowed to ascend to the heavens until they reach the Throne… Brimming over with happiness they obtain knowledge in abundance.” ↩︎
TR: The solution to this paradox lies in the idea of temporality and graduality. The absolute and infinite knowledge of the Imams, as an extension of God’s knowledge, pertains to their station of luminosity, which is timeless and thus not subject to alteration. However, the Imams also have temporal existence. It is at that level where increase in knowledge is applicable and meaningful. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 23, p. 333, bāb 20. ↩︎
See ibid., vol. 7, p. 202, tradition 88, p. 230, tradition 9, p. 264, tradition 19, p. 274, tradition 47, vol. 8, p. 50, traditions 54-55, vol. 24, p. 267, traditions 32-34, p. 271, tradition 49, p. 272, traditions 51-53, vol. 35, p. 59, tradition 12. ↩︎
See al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 219; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 23, p. 333; Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt, pp. 427, 429. ↩︎
TR: Apparently what is meant here is that on the Night of Ordainment, the imam is presented with foreknowledge of people’s deeds in the upcoming year, while every week he is presented with a report of deeds in the past week. These narrations refer to different levels of knowledge of the imams according to their different stations. ↩︎
See al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 272, traditions 2-3, p. 389, tradition 3, p. 398, traditions 3-5, p. 442, tradition 10, vol. 2, p. 282, tradition 16. ↩︎
See Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 17, p. 79, vol. 22, p. 75; Tafsīr al-Qummī, vol. 1, p. 152. ↩︎
TR: “Evidence” here refers to narrational evidence (from the Qur’an and hadith). While rational arguments prove the possibility of such events, we need narrational evidence to prove their actual occurrence. ↩︎
TR: As the ʿAllāmah’s answer shows, the inquirer did not use the words takwīnī and tashrīʿī accurately here. Apparently what the person really meant was that infallibility is not inability to sin, but a deliberate choice not to sin. The ʿAllāmah’s answer confirms this. ↩︎
TR: Given the ʿAllāmah’s previous explanations, infallibility is a special kind of knowledge which results in a real transformation and an existential quality in the person’s soul. Therefore, the infallible person cannot choose not to be infallible. In this sense, infallibility is a takwīnī (created, existential) reality. The person still has the choice and freedom to act either way, but his deep insight prevents him from choosing the wrong. ↩︎
TR: The last sentence refers to a different level of discussion. The will of all beings depends on God’s will, just like their existence. See verses , and . ↩︎
TR: In other words, and He has taught you what you did not know () refers to their infallibility, which is an inner realization that results from: Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom (). ↩︎
Miftāḥ al-Falāḥ, p. 150; see also Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 25, p. 204, tradition 16, vol. 63, p. 183, vol. 93, p. 282, tradition 23. ↩︎
See Sunan al-Nabī, Chapter 7, tradition 154, p. 140; see also Makārim al-Akhlāq, p. 38; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 16, p. 217. ↩︎
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 22, p. 27, vol. 61, p. 212, tradition 75, vol. 67, p. 252, tradition 88; see also ibid., vol. 22, p. 411, tradition 29, vol. 67, p. 253, tradition 88, vol. 76, p. 189, tradition 18. ↩︎
This question is about the traditions which say that the Prophet once missed the obligatory Morning Prayer. See Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 4, p. 283; Mustadrak al-Wasāʾil, vol. 3, p. 160. ↩︎
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī suggests another possibility elsewhere, saying that “your sin” (dhanbika) may refer to the sins of his ummah. TR: It should be noted that Chapter 48 was revealed after the peace treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, as ʿAllāmah has mentioned in al-Mīzān, but that event was a prelude to the conquest of Mecca. ↩︎